Monday, April 7, 2014

St. Albans

City lawmakers came together in St. Albans Saturday to wrap up Women’s History Month by recognizing dozens of strong women praised as being some of the most dedicated community leaders in all of Queens. Comments (1)

Bayside

After campaigning his way to Albany on pledges to push for longer legislative terms and limiting lawmakers’ time in office, state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) said he made headway on his first state bill, which would extend legislators’ terms to four years, by joining the Independent Democratic Conference. Comments (2)

Jamaica Estates

Police are reportedly investigating an incident involving a St. John’s University student who had her phone stolen and hacked at the end of a date with a Brooklyn man she met on a dating website. Comment

Corona

In December 2010, Darcy Novick was diagnosed with breast cancer. A year later she was on a lunch break from her job in Long Island City, and she happened to notice a bus from the American Italian Cancer Foundation. They were offering free mammograms and breast cancer screenings. As a result she started the Bosom Buddies Organization. Comments (1)

Far Rockaway

FAR ROCKAWAY — A 47-year-old former Far Rockaway man was indicted on charges of raping a woman in her home more than 17 years ago after DNA analysis allegedly connected him to the crime, the Queens district attorney said. Comment

Photo courtesy NYPD

Woodside

WOODSIDE — Police from the 108th Precinct were asking for the public’s help in finding Jerome Greene, a 62-year-old black man who was last seen leaving his 37th Avenue residence at 10:30 p.m. March 29, the NYPD said. Comment

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Oakland Gardens

City Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) has introduced new legislation he hopes will tackle an increase in bullying among schoolchildren that he believes has become a dangerous epidemic. Comments (1)

Bayside

The MTA restored service to Fort Totten on the Q13 and Q16 bus lines last week after the city Department of Transportation completed a nearly 10-month construction project that restricted turn-around access within the Fort Totten parking lot. Comment

Richmond Hill

JAMAICA — A pair of hospital employees were charged last week with illegally accessing patients’ information and giving it to ambulance chasers trying to pick them up as clients — sometimes even while patients were still laid up in the emergency room, the Queens district attorney said. Comment

Glendale

Citizens United for Railroad Environmental Solutions rejoiced when state legislators secured $3 million in the New York budget to retrofit a locomotive with a newer, cleaner engine for the second consecutive year. Comment

Rockaway Beach

Community members and borough leaders applauded an announcement from Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) last week that a new leadership team will take over the Build It Back recovery efforts throughout the city as Queens residents continue to rebuild homes they lost in Superstorm Sandy. Comment

Transit

The New York State budget, replete with tax advantages for businesses and taxpayers but helpless against Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ability to dip into $30 million earmarked for mass transit, has passed the state Legislature and is now a done deal. Comment

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Jamaica

Now Albany is turning up the heat on embattled Queens Library President Tom Galante. Two state legislators have crafted a bill to reform the operations of the library’s Board of Trustees and improve the organization’s overall governance. Comment

South Jamaica

The mother of a Cambria Heights teenager who was killed in a drive-by shooting in South Jamaica last week said he never recovered from the fatal shooting of his 14-year-old cousin on a city bus last summer. Comment

Bayside

Prosecutors are asking a federal judge to consider whether the political aspirations of a Republican attorney seeking a northeast Queens congressional seat conflict with his firm’s representation of a GOP operative on trial in a borough corruption case. Comment

Springfield Gardens

The family of the southeast Queens teenager who was stabbed to death during an argument inside a barber shop last week offered their forgiveness to his accused murderer in a public denunciation of violence. Comment

Woodside

The Vision Zero traffic safety plan will soon make its Queens debut at the Northern Boulevard intersection with 61st Street in Woodside, where Mayor Bill de Blasio first announced the initiative Jan. 15. Comment

Jackson Heights

Li Ping traveled to Jackson Heights from her home in Flushing to be the face of City Councilman Daniel Dromm’s (D-Jackson Heights) new campaign to raise awareness about the merits of U-Visas for immigrant victims of violent crime. Comments (15)

South Jamaica

The new state budget effectively reverses Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to deny space to a previously approved charter school in South Jamaica, and the City Council Education Committee is planning to hold a hearing on the effect Albany’s decision will have on traditional public schools going forward. Comment

Bayside

With the passing of the March 31 deadline, the state Department of Health announced this week that more than 865,000 residents across the state are now enrolled in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Comments (1)

Corona

Borough President Melinda Katz has announced an ambitious six-month-long schedule of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Corona Park beginning later this month. Comment

Jamaica

More than 10,000 homeless families — including 22,000 children — will get a helping hand to land back on their feet now that the state has agreed to free up money for a city rent-assistance program, City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) said. Comments (1)

Briarwood

Queens’ rich sports history goes well beyond the professional ranks. The borough is home to two of the nation’s most storied high school gyms and provides fans with numerous sports escapes at the high school and college level. Comments (1)

Whitestone

Queens has seen many great athletes perform at Shea Stadium, Citi Field and at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, but the borough can also claim a couple of prodigies who played their way to the big leagues. Comment

Jamaica Estates

Most people with any interest in basketball know about St. John’s University and the famous Redmen whose winning history goes back to the early 1900s. There’s even a little history lesson about the school and its basketball program on the university’s website. Comments (4)

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Jamaica

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz called on Queens Library President Thomas Galante to take a leave of absence Monday following more than two months of criticism over the non-profit executive’s compensation and the library’s operations. Comments (4)

Monday, March 31, 2014

South Jamaica

The Cambria Heights teenager who was gunned down in a drive-by shooting over the weekend was related to slain teen D’aja Robinson, said a Queens mother whose family has been haunted by bloodshed. Comments (9)

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Rockaway Beach

Mayor Bill de Blasio paid a visit to the Rockaways Saturday to announce a new leadership team set to take over the city’s rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy nearly a year and a half ago. Comments (1)

Transit

Transit activists expressed disappointment Saturday that the state legislature’s new budget has no provision to prevent Gov. Andrew Cuomo from diverting $40 million in funds meant for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Comment